Adjustable chair back



March 23, 1937. SALOMON 2,074,621

ADJUSTABLE CHAIR BACK Filed June 26, 1954 .Qmumcw l mrow/M3 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a chair back, and particularly to an adjustable reclining chair back wherein there are provided new and improved means for allowing the back to be set at numer- 5 ous angles with relation to the seat, and improved means for securely retaining the back in its various adjusted positions.

The object of the invention is to provide a chair having an adjustable back provided with improved means for releasing the same from any of its several positions, and to securely lock the same in any of its positions with respect to the seat.

Another object is to provide means for locking and releasing the chair back which are of simple construction yet particularly accessible and positive in operation.

Still another object is to provide a reclining back for a chair, together with an adjustment therefor, which although composed of but few parts, is, as is essential, of a particularly rigid and durable nature.

From the consideration of my specification and drawing other objects and advantages of my invention will become manifest.

With reference to the drawing which constitutes a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the chair including the seat or base portion with the reclining back shown in a vertical position, and with the adjustable and locking mechanism shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the chair shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear view showing in detail the adjustable mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view in further dei tail taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The drawing above described illustrates an embodiment of my invention, and shows the improvement providing a chair with a reclining back wherein the stationary portion of the chair or base, comprising the seat', carries a shaft arranged transversely of the seat and positioned adjacent the rear thereof and rigidly secured thereto. Carried by this member is a ratchet which is one portion of the means for locking the back in its several positions, and pivotally connected to the shaft is the back and integral therewith the remaining means for locking the back in position. The second mentioned locking means is rotatably supported'in bearings constituting a portion of the chair back and which are pivotally associated with the transverse shaft. It will become apparent from the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals appearing in the several gures refer to like parts throughout the entire specification, that such an arrangement provides an improved adjustable reclining chair back embodying novel 5 features including locking means therefor.

The base of the chair including the seat is generally designated by the character A, and includes supporting legs A. The rear portion of the base has a cut away recess R extending sub- 10 stantially entirely across the rear end of the seat, and defined at the ends by the chair base sides S. The adjustable reclining back is designated broadly by the character B and includes a recessed or cut away portion B' for the reception 15 and housing of the adjustable back and locking mechanism.

Fastened to the upper rear edge of the chair base and at either end of the recess R are provided a pair of mountings or castings I0 formed 20 with opposing sockets to receive a transverse shaft II which is stationarily supported at its ends therein. Rigidly secured to shaft II or otherwise integral therewith is a ratchet I2 of considerable length which is positioned intermediate 25 the ends of the shaft.

Within the recessed portion of the chair back and secured thereto are two substantially vertical angle irons I3 and Ill and a set of horizontal bracing angle irons I5 and I 6. Angle iron I5 is 30 formed with a kerf I 5 designed for a purpose later to be described. The shaft II extends through apertures I'I and I8 in the angle irons I3 and I4, thereby pivotally supporting the chair back upon and about the shaft II, allowing for angular movement and adjustment thereof with relation to the seat. Between the horizontal angle irons I 5 and I 6 are secured a pair of spaced blocks I9 and Z which are positioned on either side of the ratchet I2 and through which the 40 shaft II passes causing them to be pivoted thereon in the manner of angle irons I3 and I4.

A rotatable shaft 2| has its ends mounted in recesses formed in the blocks lll and 20. Keyed to or integral with the shaft 2I is a wide pawl 22 45 engageable with the entire face of the teeth of ratchet I2. Integral with the pawl is a yoke or arm 23 having a curved upper end provided with a slot 23' as shown in Fig. 2. When the arm 23 is rocked back and forth for the purpose later to be described, it will ride in kerf I5.

A vertical rod 24 has the lower end thereof bent as at 25, which portion is inserted into the slot 23 of arm 23. A cotter pin 26 or other means prevents the accidental removal of the 55 bent arm from the slot 23. Rod 24 passes through a guide 21 and at the upper end thereof is bent as at 28 and formed with a head 29 or other nger piece. A plate 30 is fastened to the back of the chair and' has a slot 3| cut vertically therein in which slides the head 29 of rod 24 ,as it is actuated in a manner and for a purpose to later be described.

Upon the rod 24 is an integral collar 32. Mounted upon the rod and secured at its two ends to the collar 32 and bracket 21, respectively, is an expansion spring 33 which normally pushes downwardly on the plate 32 and rod 24, the lower end- 25 of which rid'es in slot 23 of arm 23 and rocks the pawl 22 about its pivot 2| and so causes the pawl to engage the teeth of ratchet I2, thus preventing the ratchet and shaft integraltherewith from rotating and so locking the back in: any of its desirable reclining positions.

It will be appreciated that the shaft 2| integral with pawl 22 has a Very serviceable and strong s'et of bearings in the blocks I9 and 20, and that the same are secured to the angle irons I5 and I6 in a rigid manner such as by welding. Thus the reclining backis provided with a locking structure of an extremely strong nature. Moreover, by merely'pulling upwardly upon the nger piece 29 against the action of spring 33, the rod end 25 traveling. in slot 23 rocks arm 23 rearwardly so as to release pawl 22 from the ratchet I2. The chair back can then be swung to a new adjusted position o-n the stationary shaft I I and set at any angle desired. When the finger piece is released the spring acting through rod 24 and arm 25 will cause the pawl to return to locking engagement with the teeth of the ratchet thus securing the back in its new position.

I claim:

An adjustable. back chair comprising a main chair body, a stationary shaftextending.l transversely of and secured to the chair body at the rear thereof, an adjustable chair back supported at its lower end on the stationary shaft and mounted tol swing on the shaft, a pair of spaced upstanding supports in the central part of the chair back rigidly secured to the frame of the back and embracingthe stationary shaft, a stationary ratchet wheel interposed between the spaced supports and rigidly'secured to the supporting shaft, a locking pawl normally engageable withthe'ratchet wheel pivot'ed to the spaced supports, a slotted arml connected to the pawl, a spring pressed rodV slid'- ably mounted in the chair back having one end disposed in the slotted arm and adapted to release the locking pawl from engagement With thev ratchet wheel for adjustment of the chair back.

IRVING SALOMON. 

